Measuring and filling machine



Feh. 5,, 1924. 7 31,482,467 B. s. HARRINGTON MEASURING AND FILLINGMACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1920 5 Sheetsheet R g g ifi g ifiiLfi i i qe Tr 6g '14 I 1a '13 l INVENTOR, WFTNES$= a s. HARRWGTON ATTORNEYS QWEKQW 5yMW Feb 5, 1924. 11,482,467

B S HARRINGTON MEASURING AND FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1920 5Sheets-Sheet 2 \N'VENTOR Efi. HARRHNGTON Febo B. S. HARRINGTON MEASURINGAND FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28. 1920 r 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ENVENTOR .8.HARRhNGTQN ATTORNEYS WlTNESS Feb, 5, 1924.

B. S. HARRINGTON MEASURING AND FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1920 V 5Sheets-Sheet 4 N mm E Ts m N m 0 ER T v ow v VR T H Wm A 8% v S a A a.z; W F VVWW. M &

WITNES$= MEASURING AND FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1920 5Sheets-Sheet 5 PBS"? Patented Feb. a, rear.

entree. stares PATENT @IFFECE.

BER'I'IE SHEFFIELD HARRINGTON, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

MEASURING FILLING MACHINE.

Application filed October 28, 1920. SeriaIjNo. 120,187.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, BERTIE S. HARRING- TON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fort Worth, in the county ofTarrant and State of 'Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Measuring and Filling Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to dispensing mechanism, and is particularlyconcerned with a measuring, filling and receptaclehandling machineadapted for use with substances in a fluid or semi-fluid state, such asoils, lard and the like. i

The primary features of the present invention reside inthe rovision of ahighly efficient machine of t e type above mentioned which is entirelyautomatic in its operation and in its synchronism of coordinatingmechanisms, which is continuous rather than intermittent in its action,and which is provided with means whereby the unitary equal quantities ofsubstancebeing dispensed may be either greatly or minutely variedwithout stopping or in any way interfering with the operation. of themachine. The particular measuring and dispensing mechanism incorporatedin the machine herein disclosed forms the subject matter of my copendingdivisional application Serial Number 594,236, filed October 13, 1922,and patented August- 14, 1923 under No. 1,464,676.

Numerous other objects and advantages, which are contemplated in theemployment of this machine, will appear as thenature of the invention isbetter understood from the following disclosure thereof.

While the construction here shownand described in detail represents apreferred embodiment of the underlying principles of the invention, thedesign, construction and arrangement of the various parts contributingto make up the machine are to a large extent conventional, and are shownthus primarily for purposes of illustration. It

should, therefore, be understood that the.

details of construction may be varied without .departing from the scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

' In the drawings, upon which the following detailed description isbased:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation,with the upper portion of the supporting frame and mechanism carriedthereon broken away;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, with the upper portion of the supportingframe and mechanism carried thereon removed;

. Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the measuringmechanism and adjacent machine controlling devices;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 55 of 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through the air cylinder whichoperates the receptacle conveyors;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a similar section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the receptacle positioning means,also illustrating diagrammatically the means for positioning thedischarge nozzles of the machine above receptacles of difi'erent size.

Having detailed reference to the accompanyin'g drawing, and particularlyto Figs. 1, 2 and 4 thereof, the numeral 10 designates the frame whichsupports the mechanism of the machine. This frame is composed of anelongated table portion 11 which is provided at its four corners withvertical legs 12, and a yoke portion 13 which is positioned above thetable 11 and is formed of two vertical beams 14 which extend upwardlyfrom either side of said table portion intermediate its ends, and whichare connected at their upper extremities by a cross-beam 15.

The measuring mechanism, together with the controlling and actuatingmeans forming a part of the machine, are rigidly supported by theabove.mentioned yoke portion 13 of the frame, while thereceptacle-handling mechanism and means for operating the same arecarried respectively upon and under the aforesaid table portion 11.

The so-called measuring mechanism consists primarily of a relativelylarge cylinder 16, most clearly shown in Fig. 4, which is provided initsbottom with two spaced ports 17 and 18-, which open downwardly topipes 19 which terminate in swivelled offset discharge nozzles 20 and 21respectively.

Disposed in each pipe 19 intermediate its discharge nozzle and thecylinder 16, is a three-way valve 22 which is rotatable on itshorizontal axis by means of a short arm 23 cent thereto; and each ofsaid valves is so designed that by operation thereof through movement ofthe levers 23 the ports 17 and 18 are alternatively put into opencommunication with the liquld supply and with the discharge nozzle. Theupper ends of the levers 23 are connected by a horizontal link distancefrom one end 2 thereof, while port mitted to rotate within the confineso of the same.

18 opens into said cylinder at its opposite end 28. A false head 29 fitssnuglyin cylinder 16 above the port 17, and is adapted to be adjustedlongitudinally in the bore of the same a limited distance in eitherdirection. The means for adjusting said false head comprises .a screwspindle 30 which is attached to one end of the false head and, altho hprevented from moving longitudinally with relation thereto, is eritsattaching plate 31. Spindle 3O projects horizontally through cylinderhead 27, and is in threaded engagement with the same. A hand wheel 321s.keyed to the outer extremity of' spindle 30, and upon rotation. ofsaidwheel the false head 29 may be made to move inwardly or outwardly incylinder 16, thus varying the effective volume of said cylinder betweenthe inner end 33 of the false adjustable head and. the opposite fixedcylinder head proper.

A passage 34 is provided in the under side of the false head above theport 17 and. extends from the inner end of said head to a point a littleshort of the length all times-iii communication with the interior ofcylinder 16 regardless of the position in which the false head may beadjusted.

That portion of the interior of cylinder 16 between the false head 29and the fixed cylinder head 27 is gunctionless, and a small aperture 35may e bored in said cylinder end to relieve any vacuum or pressure setup therein by reason of the movement of the false head. The movement ofthe false head 29 is limited in an outward direction by contact of thesame with cylinder head 27 and in an inward direction by contact of theend of passage 34 with aprojectin and'passagefi'lling ug ottom -ofcylinder 16 adjacent.

36 formed in the port 17. j A floating piston 37 also fits snugly withinthe bore of cylinder 16 and reclprocates therein between the face, 33 ofthe false head and the opposite fixed head 28 of said cylinder. Themeans for actuating said floating piston consists of the fluid beingdispensed, which must be under pressure.

This is The port 17 is therefore at eats-r With the three-way valves inthe position illustrated in Fig. 4, fluid under ressure will float fromthe supply pipe -24-1nto the right end of cylinder 16 through port 18,forcing the piston to the left and causing the fluld occupying thecylinder on the opposite side of said piston to be expelled therefromthrough the port 17 and its adjacent three-way valve and dischargenozzle. Upon coming in contact with the false head the movement of thepiston is stopped and the flow from the left hand discharge nozzleceases. I .It will readily be seen that if the positions of thethree-way valves 22 are now changed by rotating the same simultane ously90? in a clockwise direction by-means of the lever-connecting link 26,an equal quantity of fluid, which has meanwhile filled the right-handend of cylinder 16 in the process of moving the piston to the left, willnow be discharged therefrom through port 18 and its correspondingthree-way valve and discharge nozzle.

1 A description of the means for automatically operating the three-wayvalves each time the free. piston reaches either end of its travel,follows:

Mounted advantageously on the crossbeam 15 above the cylinder 16 is asmall cylindrical valve casing 38 having a central bore 39 wherein isdisposed a reciprocating valve plug 40 which is provided about itscircumference with a relatively wide annular groove 41. Said valve In isattached at both ends to axiall ahne stems 42, 43 which project througthe ends of the valve casing. and extend a short distance communicaterespectively with the left and right hand ends of an air motor 49, to belater described, which is positioned advantageously below and to theright of cyl inder 16 on one of the vertical frame beams 14 previouslymetnioned.

.The stem 42 of the valve 40 has pivoted thereto at its outer extremityone .end of a flat,.horizontal bar 50, the opposite end of which barrests upon the knife-like edge of a small vertical support 51 securelyattached to the end of cross-beam 15. A small wedge-shaped catch 52 issecured to the under surface of bar 50 adjacent the support 51 and, whenthe valve 40 has assumed the position shown in Fig. 4, the outer orabrupt face of said catch abuts the edge of support 51 and preventsmovement of valve 40 to the left unless said catch is released fromcngagement with support 51 essee? by raising bar a sufiicient distanceto permit the catch to pass freely thereover;

The stem 43' of valve 40 has pivoted thereto at its outer extremity theupper end of a vertically disposed rod 53. lhe lower end of said bar ispivoted to a bracket arm 54 extending outwardly a short distance fromthe cylinder head 28. A relatively strong spring connects the medialportion of rod 53 with the adjacent end of cylinder 16 and, usinv thebracket arm 54 as a'fulcrum, tends to shift valve 41 to the left. Valve40 is held stationar however, due to the engagement ofcatcfi 52 with theedge of support 51. j

A short distance above the bracket arm 54 in the cylinder head 28 isreciprocating lunger or tappet 5.6 which extends a short distance insideof cylinder 16 and is provided on its outer end with an enlarged head.An adjusting screw 57 is positioned in rod 53 in axial alinement withsaid plunger and retains the same in its inward position when valve 40has shifted to the left hand end of its throw. When said valve is in theposition illustrated in the drawings however, the rod 53, acting throughthe adjusting screw 57, limits the outward movement of the tappet, asshown. A second but elongated plunger or tappet .58 is positioned in thefalse head 29 in horizontal alinement with tappet 56. The innerextremity of tappet 58 likewise extends into the interior of cylinder 16a short distance.

An elongated support 59 is fixedly secured to the outer "face of thefalse head 29, and

extends outwardly through the cylinder end 27 to a point short of thehand wheel 32 where it is formed into a bracket arm 60.

This support receives and supports throughout length the elongated shankof the re ciprocating tappet plunger 58.

A rod 61 is pivoted at its lower extremity to the bracket arm 60 andextends vertically to a oint immediately below the previously describedbar 50, at which point the rod 61 turns horizontally and extends a shortdistance to the right parallel to the bar 50. lhis end of rod 61contains an adjusting screw 62 which will contact with the under surfaceof bar 50. At the point at which rod 61 turns horizontally to the right,two short vertically extending fingers 63 are formed which extend oneach side of the bar 50 to prevent lateral movement thereof and tovertically aline the same with the point of the adjusting screw 62.

lhe rod 61 contains another adjusting screw 64 which is xially alinedwith tappet .58 and contacts with the enlarged head thereof. A spring 65connects the medial portion of rod 61 with an extension 66 of the backet arm, 60 and serves to retain the tappet 58 in its inward positionand to prevent the adjusting screw 62 of bar '61 from tripping bar 50upwardly unless the same is intentionally so actuated through theoutward movement of said tappet.

It will now be seen that the floatin piston 37, upon moving into contactwit the" 52 previously descrlbed'. Upon contacting with the inner end 33of the false head 29, the piston will move tappet'i58 outwardly and willthus cause rod 61 to trip bar 50 u wardly, whereupon the valve 40 willhe shifted to the left by the action of the expanded spring 55.

Due to the novel construction and arrangement of parts as above setforth, thev valve 40 shifts its position each time the piston contactswith the head and tappet at either end of its stroke, regardless of theposition to which the false head is adjusted.

Since it is desired that the three-way valves 22 be operated each timethe piston reaches either end of its stroke in order that the ports 17and 18 will be caused to reverse their functions as inlet anddischargeports and thus permit the measuring and discharging operations to becarried on in the reverse direction, the previously mentioned air motor49, actuated by valve 40, is em loyed.

hen the piston is moving to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, valve 40 is inits right hand position in casing 38, and the wide annular groove 41thereof transmits compressed air or other pressure fluid from port 46 toport 48 and thus into the right hand end of air motor 49. A piston 67reciprocates therein and has its stem 68 connected by a link 69 to thelink 26 which rotates 'valves 22 simultaneously. Due to the force of thecompressed air the piston 67 is held at the left hand end of its stroke,the air havin been expelled from that end of cylinder 49 through pipe 47into the bore 39 of valve casing 38 from where it escapes through theexhaust port 44.

to rotate and reverse the action of the measuring chamber. It willreadily be perceived that the machine automatically will continuefunctioning and reversing indefinitely in cycle.

The description of the means synchronized we I . filled, follows:

more particularly to Figs. 2

Referrin d 6 to 8 inclusive, the numerals and 3, an

70 and 71 indicate in general two parallel endless receptacle conveyorspositioned lengthwise along the surface of the table portion 11 andpassingrespectively under the discharge nozzles and 21. Each conveyorconsists of two parallel chains 72 connected at regular spaced intervalsby transverse slats 73.

The conveyor 71 is carried upon sprocket wheels 74 which are keyed to ashaft 75 located at each end of the table portion 11.

The conveyor is similar to conveyor 71 with the exception that itssprocket wheels 7 6 at each end thereof are keyed to a sleeve 7 7 whichis mounted on shaft and concentric therewith, but which is, however,free torotate independently thereof. The conveyors travel to the left,as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, along the surface of the table portion 11.The movement of each is intermittent and each step is equivalent to thedistance between two adjacent slats 73. The coveyors move inalternation, first one and then the other, the movement of each being sotimed that it will take place immediatelyafter the discharge from thenozzle thereabove has ceased, thus removing the filled receptacle andplacing an empty receptacle carried 10 the succeding slat in position tobe fille when that nozzle again discharges a quantity of the fluid beingdispensed.

In order to transmit such an intermittent motion to e'ach of theconveyors and to synchronize the motion with the functioning of themeasuring mechanism'thereabove, an air motor 78 is provided which isrigidly attached to the side of the frame. motor is similar in manyrespects to the air motor 49 which operates the three-way valves 22,.andis provided with a piston 79,

piston rod F80, and ports 81 and 82 with their connecting pipes leadingthereto. Said ports 81 and 82 each function alternately as inlets andexhausts for compressed air, and are positioned at opposite ends of themotor cylinder 78.

The pipes 81 and 82 connect their respec-' tive air ports with a smallvalve casing 83 which houses a five-port valve similar to valve casing38, and is best shown in Fig. 4.

The valve plug 84, which is provided with a wide annular groove aboutits circumference,serves ;to put each of pipes 81 and 82 alternately incommunication with a supply I port 85 of compressed air and with anexhaust port or vent 86, said valve being so constructed that when pipe81 is in com- This .munication with the air supply port 85, pipe 82 isin communication with one of the exhaust ports 86.

It, therefore, will be evident that upon longitudinal shiftin of valve84 in its cylinder, piston 79 will one end of its cylinder 78 to theother;

Valve 84 is operated by an arm 87 extending vertically from thev pistonrod 68 of air cylinder 49, and bifurcated to form a crotch through whichthe stem 88 of valve '84 passes. Abutments or enlarged portions e forcedto move from v 89 and 90 are spaced apart on said stem, and 7 when thepiston rod 68 moves longitudinally to rotate the three-way valve 22, theb1- furcated extension 87 thereof contacts, when nearing the end of itsthrow,'-with one of the enlargments 89 or 90 on stem 88 and thus shiftsvalve 84 which controls the conveyor operating device.

and intermeshes above and below with pinions 92 and 93 which are free torotate in a clockwise direction onl on their respective transverseshafts 94 an 95.

Each of said pinions, when rotated in a contra-clockwise direction,causes its respective shaft to rotate therewith through right the shaft9-1 will be likewise rotated.

The shaft 94 has a small sprocket wheel 98 keyed thereto near its farend, while the shaft 75'- has a 'similar sprocket wheel 99 keyedmthereto and a chain 100 passes over and between said sprockets thustransmitting the rotary motion of shaft 94 to shaft 75. V

Shafts 95 and sleeve 77 have similar. sprocket wheels 101 and 102 keyedrespectively thereto, and the rotary motion of -12) shaft. .95 istransmitted to sleeve 77 by means of a chain 103 connecting saidsprockets.

The stroke of piston '79 and the size of the' various pinions androcketwheels is so designed that one stro e of said piston suffices tomove either one of the conveyors the length of the space between theconveyor slats 73. I

The operation of this machine is as follows, assuming the various valvesand cyl-' inder pistons to be in the positions shown insane?- 7 3 inFigs. 4 and 2, and that the floating piston 37 is moving to the leftunder the pressure of the fluid therebehind:

Havingexpelled all of the fluid from in front of it, the piston 37pushes the tappet 58, and the three-way valves 22 are immediatelyreversed by means of the cylinder 49 as previously described. As thethree-way valve at the left cuts off the discharge therethrough thevalve 84 is shifted and the slatted conveyor 70 is caused to moveforward, carrying away the filled receptacle from under nozzle 20 andplacing an empty receptacle, carried in front of the succeeding slat,thereunder.

The piston 37 now moves to the right under the pressure of the fluidtherebehind, and upon its pushing tappe't 56, the threc- Way valves areagain rotated in the manner and by the means previously described, and

the slatted conveyor 71 moves forward carryin away th filled receptaclefrom under nozz e 21 and placing an empty one thereunder.

This cycle will repeat indefinitely and automatically as long as thesupply of fluid under pressure is continued, and compressed air or othermotor fluid is supplied. The operator is only required to place emptyreceptacles before the conveyor slats at one end of. the conveyor and toremovethe filled receptacles at the opposite end.

To increase or decrease the amount of ma terial discharged into eachreceptacle. the

' operator need only rotate the hand wheel 32.

This may be done either while the machine is in full operation or whileit is inactive.

A scale 104 is provided above hand wheel 32, and the periphery of saidwheel itself is subdivided to provide a micrometer in order that theminutest change may be made in the amount of substance being dispensed.This scale also indicates at what points the, hand wheel 32 should berotated to in order to measure out difiere'nt amounts, such as 1, 2, 4or 8 pound quantities of the substance.

In order to properly position thereceptacles laterally in front of theslats 73, de-. tiectin guides 105 are rigidly attached to the ta leportion near its sides and intermediate its ends. These guides aresuficiently low to clear the slats 73 passing there over, but functionto shift the passing receptacles a uniform distance from the outer.

sides of the conveyors into positions wherein the receptacles on eachconveyor are tangential toa base line which extends lengthwise of theconve or through the tip of the associated gui e 105.

The discharge nozzles 20 and 21 are offset and swivelled to the lowerportions of pipes 19 as previously mentioned for the purpose following:In order to approximately center said nozzles w1th large receptacles 106passing thereunder, the nozzles are left in the positions shown, butwhen a small or medium sized receptacle 107 is being used, the nozzles20 and 21 may be swung forwardly as dia ammatically shown in Fig. 9,until sai nozzles approximately center with the centers of the smallerreceptacles. Handles 108 may be provided on nozzles 20 and 21 in orderto more easily adjust the positions of the same.

A vacuum-operated receptacle-lid remover 109 (Fig. 2) of an approvedtype may be employed advantageously with this machine, and should bepositioned at the receiving end of the same with its lid discharge chute110 arranged so that the lids will be deposited on the table portion ina substantially vertical position and will be carried forward with theircorresponding receptacles by the travel of slats 73. The lids aredeposited between the outer chains 72 of the conveyors and the sides ofthe table portion 11, said lids being maintained in a substantiallyupright position by means of longitudinally extending headed curbings111 which form lateral vertical extensionsto the table portion proper.

nozzles comprising a plurality of endless conveyors havinglongitudinally spaced receptacle-carrymg portions the conveyors arrangedin arallelism and moving each before one of the nozzles, and meansoperatively coupled with mechanism of the measuring device to actuatethe conveyors alternately to place a receptacle before the, inactivenozzle, said means actin automatically in s nchronism with thedischarging nozzles 0 the measuring device.

2. In a measuring and dlspensing apparatus, the combination with ameasuring device including a pair of alternately discharging nozzles, ofmeans for positioning receptacles at the nozzles comprising a pair ofendless conveyors having longitudinally spaced receptacle-carryingportions and arranged in parallelism in a common plane to mqve eachbefore one of the nozzles, the conveyors including at each end a shaftsuitablv journaled and having thereon at one si e chain-carryingsprockets for one of the conveyors and at the other side a co-anialsleeve bearing chain-carrying sprockets for the other conveyor, a pairofcounter shafts disposed in parallel planes and geared one to an endshaft and the other to an end sleeve, a double faced rack, a pair ofpinmeans to reciprocate the rack in synchronism with the measuringdevice whereby to advance the conveyors alternately step by step toplace a receptacle at one nozzle while the other is discharging.

3. In a measuring and dispensing apparatus, the combination with ameasuring deviceincluding a pair 'of valved discharge nozzles, ofmeansrior positioning receptacles at the nozzles comprising a air ofendless conveyors arranged in para lelism and arranged each before oneof the nozzles, and means to actuate the conveyors alternately in.synchronism with the measuring device to place a rece tacle before theinactive nozzle, said synclironously operating means comprising a fluidpressure operated motor for'efi'ectin the intermittent operation of thevalves 0 the measuring device, a similar motor for efi'ecting theintermittent alternate movement of the conveyors, motive fluid valvesfor the two motors coupled to operate in unison, and a connectionbetween one of the valves and the measuring device wherebyalternately-to operate said valves as-and when a measured quantity isavailable for discharge.

4. In a measuring and dispensing apparatus, the combination with ameasuring device including a pair of alternately dischargin nozzles, ofmeans for positioning receptac es at the nozzles com using a pair ofendless conveyors having ongitudinally' spaced receptacle-carryingportions and arranged in arallelism in a common plane to move each eforeone of the nozzles, the conveyors including at each end a shaft suitablyjournaled and having thereon at one side chain-carrying sprockets for'one of the conveyors and at the other side a co-axial sleeve bearingchain-carrying sprockets for the other conveyor, a pair of countershafts disposed in parallel planes and geared one to an end shaft andthe other to an end sleeve, a double faced rack, a pair of pinions eachenmeshed with one face ,havin" a ratchet and pawl connection with one o?the countershafts, and means to reciprocate the rack in synchronism withthe measuring device whereby to advance the conveyors alternately stepby steplto place a receptacle at one nozzle while t e other isdischarging, a fluid pressure operated motor for eflecting theintermittent alternate discharge from the nozzles of the measuringdevice, a similar motor for effecting the intermittent alternatemovement of the conveyor, motive fluid valves for the two motors coupledto operate in. unison, and a connection between one of the valves andthe measuring device whereby alternately to operate said valves as andwhen a measured quantity is available for discharge.

-In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing vwitneses.

BERTIE SHEFFIELD HARRINGTON.

of the rack and

